Sewers under the residence.
"Achoo!"
Sniffing to himself, Lelouch noted that the Servant behind him didn't flinch, not even slightly reacted, to his sudden sneeze. Excusing himself wasn't even acknowledged by the armour-clad man who continued to follow the boy's pace.
The eerie silence exuded by Berserker was far more unsettling than the dark and gloomy sewers they trekked through.
'Hm. For a 'Mad Servant', he's been pretty docile for quite some time.'
Berserker hardly made a sound. Hell, he barely made any move to acknowledge anything when they split off from each other. Giving Kariya only a nod after relaying Lelouch's orders for the knight, he'd been a silent stalking statue following his lead through the maze like tunnels that were the Fuyuki underground sewer system.
'It's such a maze, yet it's clearly of a proper design in accordance with the lay of the land.' Lelouch brought the sewer map closer so he could see where they were. The small glow of his flashlight was enough to illuminate their path whilst allowing him to navigate on paper the tunnel they were in. Without the 'borrowed' document, he could've been walking blind with his only companion never going to be of any real help. Being lost with Berserker was, thankfully, never going to be one of his worries. 'Then again, Caster might've had the best idea when it came to approaching this war.'
He sighed as he eyed the mishmash of lines, canals, tributaries and tunnels. The complex was an understatement though. Apart from providing a great hiding spot, should one's foe gain the upper hand anywhere, they need simply retreat and relocate. Less than a thirty minute jog could have them getting almost anywhere through the exit points and manholes of the cityscape. Give one great mobility in the form of Rider's chariot, then maybe hit-and-run tactics would've been plausible.
'If Nobu was instead a complacent Assassin, this could've also worked to our advantage from the start.' Stealth or mobility, it would've worked wonders on their foes who had little to no idea of the lay of the land. Kayneth himself was far from familiar with Fuyuki's aboveground, let alone the sewers. Had he the option to choose his Servant's class, it would've been a piece of cake. Mostly.
Although saying that, he didn't need to wonder what Nobu would think of the state of their living then.
She'd put up with their rundown shack, but the sewer tunnels were dangerous and unhealthy in more ways than one. The ones they've gone through to get under the Matou estate had been growing even worse than the access hatch they entered. Murkier waters, rampant mould and fungus growth, putrid stench getting evermore atrocious to the nostrils. It was far different from the least comfortable tunnels the former prince had once run through.
On the other hand, maybe he shouldn't be comparing the futuristic infrastructure of his world to this one. Even though the sewers of the Saitama Ghetto provided him a clean escape route when Cornelia once managed to best him, those ruins were far more efficient and well-kept because they were designed better than these aged passageways.
'Rotting yet overflowing pipes, barely any filters, small walkways… Compared to those of my own world, this one is built less for transport and accessibility and more for routing vast amounts of refuse.'
A 'quantity over quality' workmanship had him slightly disappointed but unperturbed. Two worlds of differing standards might've been a culture shock to him once upon a time, but right now, he had a job to do. No room for complaints.
'Especially not now if I run the risk of running his patience thin.' Lelouch subtly eyed the black-clad Servant from the corner of his eye.
Berserker hadn't gone into spirit form due to the need of being ready to spring into action as soon as the next phase of the plan had begun. Because Zouken was clearly a far more experienced magus than both he and Kariya put together, he would be on par with, if not excelling more than, Kayneth. Sensing two Servants inside his own home would be a cinch if Kayneth, or even Sola-Ui, could sense him and Avenger.
And since part of their plan was to make him believe Berserk dead, the black knight had to remain unidentified until the last moment. Too bad urgency clashed with secrecy. But thankfully, they need not worry about scouts hiding in the gutter waters.
'If Kariya's information on Zouken is true, then the old man should still be wary.' Using his own worms as a bait for Caster was a failure, prompting him to instead send his son after the Servant directly. But, considering Kariya was distracted by Tokiomi, as well as being ill-bodied himself already, he pretty much disappointed the immortal magus in that respect. 'If Zouken felt threatened by Caster for using the sewer tunnels, I can see why he'd urge Kariya to do it recklessly… But was it actually worth it?'
Lelouch wasn't sure. When Kariya lost all correspondence with Zouken, Lelouch thought it weird of the elder who constantly pushed his son around. But now that they'd eliminated Archer and he'd left Kariya in peace, it was… well beyond odd.
'What is he doing? What's his endgame?' Lelouch wasn't entirely sure. For one, he already surmised Zouken was the type to keep all his cards close. With his nature of working with familiar insects, Lelouch was further discouraged from trying to figure out Zouken's movements. He was also disgusted to think bug magic was even a thing. It was useful but still… disgusting.
Yet, the elder's movements, or lack thereof, was telling.
Zouken was holing up in his basement. Why? No one knew. But if he had all his cards, in this case 'bugs' in a single basket, then that left them with only one thing to do. Burn it all down.
'Reporting. We're in the mansion.' Lelouch hummed affirmation as he continued on his trek. Berserker wordlessly followed with slight clanks for every footstep. Due to Nobu being the only piece he could remotely command on the board, he was glad Kariya instructed Berserker to keep a 'close guard' of him.
Even if, as a backup plan, Kariya would have to use a Command Seal to summon Berserker in an emergency, the fact that Lelouch had somewhat of control over the mad Servant was reassuring, albeit lightly. One wrong move and the knight could still snap his neck with ease, of course.
Thankfully, his connection with Nobu had him informed at all times of the situation. If he was going to be abandoned, he knew to do the same and summon Nobu to his side should he need it.
Arriving at a junction, the boy paused as he eyed the three tunnels ahead of him whilst consulting the map. Fuyuki's official map of the entire system was pretty detailed. Before all this, he sought to use it in his hunt for Ryuunosuke while the serial killer had still been a threat. But there were some minor inconsistencies he noted.
One of them had been the size of the place they found Caster's workshop to be hidden in. The section of the map that covered it was far, far more compact than the area they discovered. Whether that was due to miscalculations in the mapping or Caster at work with his barrier, Lelouch couldn't be sure. But this time, he was certain Matou Zouken had a hand in the inconsistency.
Before him, three separate tunnels each leading towards a different cardinal direction. On the map, however, a single jagged line shakily leading away from the rest of the complex mesh of pipes. It felt off in more ways than one.
According to the document, Lelouch and Berserker should have been going through a single standard tunnel until they came to an endpoint barely a kilometre ahead. And yet they found themselves looking in several directions without any idea where to go. What's more, all the paths looked at least half a century old. Maybe more if they had only been barely maintained.
'Odd. The map states it's a recently revisited and repaired line.' The boy scoffed at taking the fine print at face value. Stuffing the map in his pocket with a sigh, he voiced an indirect explanation to his companion. "Either civil officials have been slacking off, or Zouken is cunning enough to alter official documents, hiding all possible access points to his domain. If we're to advance, we won't be relying on the map any further than this."
"… Grrrrrr…" A simple growl, or would it be a guttural purr echoing in a metal box? Either way, that was all the knight in black had to offer. Truly, Lelouch had his work cut out for him when it came to communicating with a mad warrior.
Sighing, the Demon Emperor stepped forward to look at the three old tunnels. The old man most definitely used magecraft to trick the local administration into wrongly mapping the lines that led to his domain. But be that as it may, they didn't have time to call for assistance.
Or maybe… Lelouch could do just that. "Which direction should we take, Berserker?"
Not even a second of hesitation, the knight leapt over Lelouch. It was a surprise to see the Servant forego the catwalk in favour of dropping right into the centre of the sewer junction. As he stood there in the middle of a gushing murky current, the glowing crimson visor eyed all directions minus the route they came through. Settling on the right-hand side one, the knight's gaze then lowered to the water rushing past him.
'Hm?' Eyeing the Servant who cared little about dousing himself in the cesspool, Lelouch made to rush to approach when, quite suddenly, Berserker snagged something beneath the water's surface before hopping back onto the catwalk. "What is it?"
Asking was pointless when Berserker himself tossed whatever he'd found to the floor before Lelouch. The clattering echoed up until it stopped sliding just before his shoes. Barely a second of directing his flashlight to it did Lelouch recognize the bleached white of bone.
A human skull. A partial one at that.
But unlike the skulls one would find from any random victim who accidentally drowned in a river of gunk and faeces, this one had roughly eroded along the edges. Where one of the eye sockets should've been, lines that resembled small nibbles trailed inwards, resembling the leaves one would find in a caterpillar-infested planter.
Whoever this person was, they'd been feasted upon, down to the bone and beyond.
"Well… that's as good enough proof as any." Ravenous insects that left little to nothing behind, might as well be a sign on a crossroads. "Right path it is."
As soon as he nodded assent, the mad Servant grunted before walking ahead into the chosen tunnel. All the while, he remained silent as Lelouch followed closely behind.
The quiet was… unsettling to say the least.
It wasn't just the half-eaten skull that had the boy tensing. The knight ahead of him was pretty intimidating enough, forget the sewer tunnel that was likely littered with even more hidden human remains. But the sharpness of Berserker's quiet… it was akin to a knifepoint every time his crimson visors were trained in Lelouch's direction.
'Animosity? No. I haven't done anything to offend him. At least, not intentionally. Then, suspicion? Or perhaps it's wariness?' The boy kept quiet in thought as their footsteps continued to echo against the damp concrete walls. 'That could be the case, considering I've convinced his Master to forsake winning the Grail.'
Kariya was easy to please. So long as the girl was saved, then there was no need for him to continue participating.
The same could not be said of the mad Servant who answered the man's summons due to his own desires for the Grail.
That was bad. Especially if there was a risk of betrayal on the Servant's part. Archer and Kotomine had done as much already with Tohsaka Tokiomi. What's there to stop Kariya from losing control of Berserker, more so when he hadn't much control, to begin with?
But for the part of not knowing just who Berserker had been in life, there was no way to know what wish he sought the Grail to fulfil. Aside from asking, of course, but besides throaty incoherent snarls, what else was Lelouch going to get from the man?
'Apart from her name, he hasn't said anything nor given away much in terms of identification.' He only had Arthurian legend to go on. That was a start. But considering that there could be differences with his knowledge of the legend and what applied in this world though, Lelouch was in a pickle. 'Taking care of Saber could be left to Berserker if they'd been foes in life. But Kariya might not last should he go on a rampage once more. Lose him, and we lose Berserker. Not a bad deal, but if we fail to remove either Rider or Saber before then, we'll be caught in the middle. A Mage Killer on our backs would only tighten the pincer.'
He kept a composed scowl whilst suppressing a sigh as they rounded a corner and met another fork. This time, Berserker need not be asked to inspect it. Just a glance down the right then at the waters of the left had the ironclad warrior moving with a quickened pace to the latter.
"Oy, wait up—!"
"GRRR!"
Cut off by an abrupt yet impatient growl, Lelouch kept his quiet as he simply followed after the Servant. Judging by the rush he seemed to be in, they were getting close.
Closer to their immediate objective, but not as much progress could be made in the long-term.
Berserker didn't seem to need light for his path as he continued to navigate the tunnel ahead of Lelouch with ease. The haze that enveloped Berserker obscured everything apart from the vague knightly armour and the glow within his helmet's eye slits. Even with his back turned, Lelouch couldn't help but feel the man still guarded against him.
With the adage that not even Kariya was aware of his own Servant's identity, the boy was left to ponder how to tackle this issue before they even hit the hostage situation they were working to resolve by the end of the day.
At the moment, Lelouch had drawn several theories, suggestions of who Berserker could really be. All of them were related to Saber's myth in one form or another, be they her allies or enemies.
'From the way, he shouted the King of Knight's name, it's enough evidence to assume the two Servants shared a history. Albeit, only Arturia was the one who'd been recognized.' Lelouch also noted that Berserk screamed Arturia masculine name, not her actual one. A small detail, but very important. 'It's possible he'd been among the many who didn't know the King of Camelot's true identity. But be that as it may, many of the Knight of the Rounds, as well as her foes, fit that same bill.'
How were they related? Was Berserk some notable knight who was slain by King Arthur? Or was he closer, someone who betrayed the King herself before or on the fields of Camlann.
Berserker was furious, frenzied when he confronted Arturia. It was possible he'd been a sworn enemy of the former king. Maybe a rival noble or lord who spat the name of Pendragon until his dying breath. From what could be seen under the haze, the armour he wore was clearly of the finest make. Lelouch could clearly recognize status, but of which order?
'Could he be a knight from the Galehaut Order? A prominent Lothian warrior… or maybe King Lot himself?' Those were known enemy knights of King Arthur in legends. The ones he was familiar with, at least. But the possibility of Berserker actually coming from among the Knights of the Round was not zero either. 'Especially not when he was able to keep up with all the foes Arturia herself has faced.'
If he'd been a foe killed by her hand, Berserker should've been somewhat weaker than Saber. But beyond keeping up, it seemed as if the relentless knight might actually be a better warrior. Lelouch would believe it so, considering the knight didn't even have a real weapon yet was able to hound all his foes with ease.
Lelouch's eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at Berserker's broad back. An idea came to mind. There was one well-known knight who turned into an antagonist in King Arthur's legend. One who slew the members of the Round loyal to the King.
'It wouldn't be a stretch to assume him as the knight of treason. It might even be fate that he was summoned to fight against his father and mortal foe once more.' Then again, could Arturia actually count as a father though?
Lelouch brushed that question aside. The Arthurian myth was different in the Britannian stories he grew up with. Most notable of which, Arthur actually being a man. If he wanted a truly detailed explanation of how Arturia became to be called a 'father' in this world's past, he might as well just chalk it all up to the work of magic and the fae. Maybe this world's Merlin was actually a mage and not just some well-renowned scholar.
Still, he wouldn't get anywhere without pricing his theory right. So, taking a gamble and ready with his Command Seals, he dared to call the man out.
"Please, slow down! Sir Mordred?"
"… Grrrrrr…"
The slight growl and over-the-shoulder glance had Lelouch scraping his theory almost immediately.
Despite his face being covered by the black helmet, Lelouch could sense the confusion of the Servant. Had he truly been Mordred, an inquisitive snarl wouldn't have been the instant response. Also, if he'd been correct, then Saber herself wouldn't be clueless. There was no way a great warrior as her wouldn't immediately recognize her former friend and killer.
Lelouch couldn't help but curse himself for forgetting that whilst playing it off as a question.
"Perhaps, I got your identity wrong?"
"…"
"…"
"… Hrrrmp…"
The black knight stared at him in a long silence before letting out something akin to an irritated snort. If he was capable of proper speech and facial expression, he might've scoffed or mocked him for the question. Or maybe that was stretching it a bit, considering even now, Lelouch remained uncertain about a lot of things about the Servant.
''Wrong' it is. And without so much as a care to correct me… Hm.' The boy started to reevaluate his thoughts as soon as Berserker turned away to march on. 'It's either the wariness or his Mad Enhancement, but it's clear this man dislikes me.'
Be that as it may, that's one guess crossed out of the list. If he was not Sir Mordred the Traitor, then there were still half-a-dozen other options. But that made it even more concerning.
Of all the knights in the Arthurian legend, many were called heroes even in his world. But if the Throne of Heroes had chosen one among them to be a Berserker, which one had enough hate and enmity to madden a person beyond reason?
'Even if Berserker isn't Mordred, it doesn't rule out another one of the traitors. But be that as it may, which of them could compare, perhaps even overwhelm, their once-former and all-powerful king?'
To rival King Arthur and her holy sword, Excalibur, it should be someone of great skill and renown. There was one that came to mind, having been a loyal retainer of hers from her coronation to his one and only betrayal. But Lelouch couldn't help but snort at the coincidence.
After all, how much would fate dare tempt him if the maddened knight that regarded him with such caution was the namesake of a dear friend's Knightmare?
'A Knight of the Round Table that fell for the queen, stealing her away from King Arthur's court out of an impulsive desire as love.' Lelouch couldn't help but draw parallels now that his attention had been drawn to it. 'Truly, if there ever had to be a Lancelot-incarnate, no one would compare to Suzaku.'
An honourable individual then called a traitor by the people. A skilled warrior who draws both ire and admiration from his fellows, knights and civilians alike. A man who fell in love yet lost it all to ruin regardless of his efforts.
A knight forced to wear a mask, to hide his true self forever, in the name of honour and duty to those he wished to fight for…
Had this not been the middle of an operation, Lelouch would've chuckled aloud. He would've marvelled at the similarities, maybe even debated with Nobu about how an old friend of a past life would've been a perfect fit for the Throne of Heroes in this world.
But he wasn't that carefree to forget the task at hand. Nor was he that simpleminded to use the parallels as veritable proof.
'Lancelot or not, Berserker's wish still eludes me.' History's note on the man had him eluding King Arthur's wrath. Some edicts went so far as to call his and Guinevere's elopement as a romantic success. A happily ever after, if you will. But then there stands the question. 'What does Berserker gain out of this if that plight was already a foregone conclusion?'
King Arthur's reign had ended. Lancelot's story had proceeded without Camlann's fall affecting him much. Or so the stories went from his own world. Who knows how similar such details could be in this one? By technicality, should they even be believed to be the definite versions when King Arthur had already been proven to be a woman?
'Overthinking it now won't get me anywhere.' Perhaps it would be best to shelf this thought for another time. Maybe discuss it with Nobu, considering her insights as a Heroic Spirit herself. 'I should just observe. Maybe, given time, Berserker's actions might slip up and we get another chance to figure his identity out.'
Although saying that, there was little to no other ways to glean information from an insane knight who was relentlessly charged with disregard to his own Master's mana stores. That in itself was a hassle despite the unknown motive for seeking out the Grail.
The reckless fixation on Saber, the onslaught he unleashed against Archer. Despite such ferocity, Lelouch suspected that wasn't all. The mad Servant had yet to reveal all his cards, most notable of all was his unused noble phantasm.
'Even if I can't ascertain his identity, someone this powerful should still have a trump card I haven't seen.' Each of the Servants so far had something key to their identity or nature as a hero. Caster and his sorcerous summoning. Alexander the Great and his loyal armies. Nobunaga and her hate for the Divine. Arturia and her legendary sword. Hell, outrageous as Gilgamesh's armoury was, he at least had the excuse of the epic that gave him the title King of Heroes.
All noble phantasms had something to do with the Servant's legend. If that was the case, what legend could be gleaned from a skilled and relentless warrior maddened beyond reason? Where did the hero end and the madness begin?
Lelouch didn't know. And the fact that it could be a hindrance in the future troubled him so.
Catching the knight giving him a glance over his armoured shoulder, Lelouch nearly flinched in his steps. But soon after, the knight's gaze was returned to the fore. From henceforth, Berserker continued to ignore Lelouch.
'Hm. Quite the troublesome knight, indeed.' Dealing with a wary foe was simple. Dealing with a wary foe that could snap your neck in an instant was not so. Not without a backup plan at least. 'So long as he's wary of me, I can't do much besides portray myself as the charitable one looking to help Kariya out of goodwill. But that won't last long.'
The moment Berserker breaks free from Kariya, it would be the moment Lelouch would have to confront the unknown head-on. But… maybe, it need not be that way.
'I don't know what he might need the Grail for, but so long as he can be distracted by the former king, it should work out well for now.'
Even if he couldn't help but remain tense in the presence of the Servant, Lelouch would endure it until they saved the girl.
What comes after, be it Kariya's continued assistance, Berserker's betrayal, or both of their demise before Nobu can confront Rider and Saber… that would be left for the future.